Prognostic Nutritional Index Associates with the Severity of Silicosis:A Study from a Tertiary Class A Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases in China

Pneumoconiosis is a group of heterogeneous fibrotic lung diseases caused by inorganic mineral dust and includes coal workers’pneumoconiosis and silicosis.Silicosis involves diffuse or nodular interstitial pulmonary fibrosis caused by exposure to asbestos or silica dust.China is thought to have the highest number of silicosis cases,with 6,000 new cases reported annually^([1]).Currently,the clinical diagnosis and monitoring of silicosis relies mainly on a history of occupational exposure and radiological abnormalities^([2]).Therefore,determining further indicators is crucial to reflect the severity of silicosis.

Primary biliary cholangitis presenting with granulomatous lung disease misdiagnosed as lung cancer:A case report

BACKGROUND There are few cases of pulmonary granulomatous changes secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC).No case of granulomatous lung disease secondary to PBC misdiagnosed as lung cancer had been reported.CASE SUMMARY A middle-aged woman presented with lung nodules and was misdiagnosed with lung cancer by positron emission tomography/computed tomography.She underwent left lobectomy,and the pathology of the nodules showed granulomatous inflammation,which was then treated with antibiotics.However,a new nodule appeared.Further investigation with lung biopsy and liver serology led to the diagnosis of PBC,and chest computed tomography indicated significant reduction in the pulmonary nodule by treatment with methylprednisolone and ursodeoxycholic acid.CONCLUSION Diagnosis of pulmonary nodules requires integrating various clinical data to avoid unnecessary pulmonary lobectomy.

Microvascular alterations of the ocular surface and retina in connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease

AIM:To examine the disparities in macular retinal vascular density between individuals with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease(CTD-ILD)and healthy controls(HCs)by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and to investigate the changes in microvascular density in abnormal eyes.METHODS:For a retrospective case-control study,a total of 16 patients(32 eyes)diagnosed with CTD-ILD were selected as the ILD group.The 16 healthy volunteers with 32 eyes,matched in terms of age and sex with the patients,were recruited as control group.The macular retina’s superficial retinal layer(SRL)and deep retinal layer(DRL)were examined and scanned using OCTA in each individual eye.The densities of retinal microvascular(MIR),macrovascular(MAR),and total microvascular(TMI)were calculated and compared.Changes in retinal vascular density in the macular region were analyzed using three different segmentation methods:central annuli segmentation method(C1-C6),hemispheric segmentation method[uperior right(SR),superior left(SL),inferior left(IL),and inferior right(IR)],and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study(ETDRS)methods[superior(S),inferior(I),left(L),and right(R)].The data were analyzed using Version 9.0 of GraphPad prism and Pearson analysis.RESULTS:The OCTA data demonstrated a statistically significant difference(P<0.05)in macular retinal microvessel density between the two groups.Specifically,in the SRL and DRL analyses,the ILD group exhibited significantly lower surface density of MIR and TMI compared to the HCs group(P<0.05).Furthermore,using the hemispheric segmentation method,the ILD group showed notable reductions in SL,SR,and IL in the superficial retina(P<0.05),as well as marked decreases in SL and IR in the deep retina(P<0.05).Similarly,when employing the ETDRS method,the ILD group displayed substantial drops in superficial retinal S and I(P<0.05),along with notable reductions in deep retinal L,I,and R(P<0.05).In the central annuli segmentation method,the ILD group exhibited a significant decrease in the superficial retinal C2-4 region(P<0.05),whereas the deep retina showed a notable reduction in the C3-5 region(P<0.05).Additionally,there was an observed higher positive likelihood ratio in the superficial SR region and deep MIR.Furthermore,there was a negative correlation between conjunctival vascular density and both deep and superficial retinal TMI(P<0.001).CONCLUSION:Patients with CTD-ILD exhibits a significantly higher conjunctival vascular density compared to the HCs group.Conversely,their fundus retinal microvascular density is significantly lower.Furthermore,CTD-ILD patients display notably lower superficial and deep retinal vascular density in comparison to the HCs group.The inverse correlation between conjunctival vascular density and both superficial and deep retinal TMI suggests that detecting subtle changes in ocular microcirculation could potentially serve as an early diagnostic indicator for connective tissue diseases,thereby enhancing disease management.

Impact of continuous care on cardiac function in patients with lung cancer complicated by coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND Despite sharing similar pathogenic factors,cancer and coronary heart disease(CHD)occur in comparable populations at similar ages and possess similar susceptibility factors.Consequently,it is increasingly commonplace for patients to experience the simultaneous occurrence of cancer and CHD,a trend that is steadily rising.AIM To determine the impacts of continuing care on lung cancer patients with CHD following percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).METHODS There were 94 lung cancer patients with CHD following PCI who were randomly assigned to the intervention group(n=38)and the control group(n=41).In the intervention group,continuing care was provided,while in the control group,routine care was provided.An evaluation of cardiac and pulmonary function,medication compliance,a 6-min walk test,and patient quality of life was performed.RESULTS Differences between the two groups were significant in left ventricular ejection fraction,6-min walk test,oxygen uptake,quality of life and medication compliance(P<0.05).In comparison with the control group,the enhancement in the intervention group was more significant.The intervention group had more patients with high medication compliance than the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).CONCLUSION After undergoing PCI,lung patients with CHD could benefit from continued care in terms of cardiac and pulmonary function,medications compliance,and quality of life.

Clinical evolution of antisynthetase syndrome-associated interstitial lung disease after COVID-19 in a man with Klinefelter syndrome:A case report

BACKGROUND This study presents a case of rapidly developing respiratory failure due to antisynthetase syndrome(AS)following coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)in a 33-year-old man diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome(KS).CASE SUMMARY A 33-year-old man with a diagnosis of KS was admitted to the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of a tertiary hospital in China for fever and shortness of breath 2 wk after the onset of COVID-19.Computed tomography of both lungs revealed diffuse multiple patchy heightened shadows in both lungs,accompanied by signs of partial bronchial inflation.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid suggested absence of pathogen.A biopsy specimen revealed organizing pneumonia with alveolar septal thickening.Additionally,extensive auto-antibody tests showed strong positivity for anti-SSA,anti-SSB,anti-Jo-1,and anti-Ro-52.Following multidisciplinary discussions,the patient received a final diagnosis of AS,leading to rapidly progressing respiratory failure.CONCLUSION This study underscores the clinical progression of AS-associated interstitial lung disease subsequent to viral infections such as COVID-19 in patients diagnosed with KS.

Impact of interleukin 6 levels on acute lung injury risk and disease severity in critically ill sepsis patients

BACKGROUND Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a dysregulation of the host response to infection that can lead to acute lung injury(ALI)and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS).Interleukin 6(IL-6)is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of sepsis and its complications.AIM To investigate the relationship among plasma IL-6 levels,risk of ALI,and disease severity in critically ill patients with sepsis.METHODS This prospective and observational study was conducted in the intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital between January 2021 and December 2022.A total of 83 septic patients were enrolled.Plasma IL-6 levels were measured upon admission using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The development of ALI and MODS was monitored during hospitalization.Disease severity was evaluated by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II)and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)scores.RESULTS Among the 83 patients with sepsis,38(45.8%)developed ALI and 29(34.9%)developed MODS.Plasma IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients who developed ALI than in those without ALI(median:125.6 pg/mL vs 48.3 pg/mL;P<0.001).Similarly,patients with MODS had higher IL-6 levels than those without MODS(median:142.9 pg/mL vs 58.7 pg/mL;P<0.001).Plasma IL-6 levels were strongly and positively correlated with APACHE II(r=0.72;P<0.001)and SOFA scores(r=0.68;P<0.001).CONCLUSIONElevated plasma IL-6 levels in critically ill patients with sepsis were associated with an increased risk of ALI andMODS.Higher IL-6 levels were correlated with greater disease severity,as reflected by higher APACHE II andSOFA scores.These findings suggest that IL-6 may serve as a biomarker for predicting the development of ALI anddisease severity in patients with sepsis.

Predictors of disease recurrence after radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage IIb-IIIa squamous cell lung cancer:A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND Lung cancer(LC)is a global medical,social and economic problem and is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of mortality from malignant neoplasms.LC is characterized by an aggressive course,and in the presence of disease recurrence risk factors,patients,even at an early stage,may be indicated for adjuvant therapy to improve survival.However,combined treatment does not always guarantee a favorable prognosis.In this regard,establishing predictors of LC recurrence is highly important both for determining the optimal treatment plan for the patients and for evaluating its effectiveness.AIM To establish predictors of disease recurrence after radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage IIb-IIIa lung squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC).METHODS A retrospective case-control cohort study included 69 patients with LSCC who underwent radical surgery at the Orenburg Regional Clinical Oncology Center from 2009 to 2018.Postoperatively,all patients received adjuvant chemotherapy.Histological samples of the resected lung were stained with Mayer's hematoxylin and eosin and examined under a light microscope.Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify predictors associated with the risk of disease recurrence.Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to discriminate between patients with a high risk of disease recurrence and those with a low risk of disease recurrence.Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.The log-rank test was used to compare survival curves between patient subgroups.Differences were considered to be significant at P<0.05.RESULTS The following predictors of a high risk of disease recurrence in patients with stage IIb-IIa LSCC were established:a low degree of tumor differentiation[odds ratio(OR)=7.94,95%CI=1.08-135.81,P=0.049];metastases in regional lymph nodes(OR=5.67,95%CI=1.09-36.54,P=0.048);the presence of loose,fine-fiber connective tissue in the tumor stroma(OR=21.70,95%CI=4.27-110.38,P=0.0002);and fragmentation of the tumor solid component(OR=2.53,95%CI=1.01-12.23,P=0.049).The area under the curve of the predictive model was 0.846(95%CI=0.73-0.96,P<0.0001).The sensitivity,accuracy and specificity of the method were 91.8%,86.9%and 75.0%,respectively.In the group of patients with a low risk of LSCC recurrence,the 1-,2-and 5-year disease-free survival(DFS)rates were 84.2%,84.2%and 75.8%,respectively,while in the group with a high risk of LSCC recurrence the DFS rates were 71.7%,40.1%and 8.2%,respectively(P<0.00001).Accordingly,in the first group of patients,the 1-,2-and 5-year overall survival(OS)rates were 94.7%,82.5%and 82.5%,respectively,while in the second group of patients,the OS rates were 89.8%,80.1%and 10.3%,respectively(P<0.00001).CONCLUSION The developed method allows us to identify a group of patients at high risk of disease recurrence and to adjust to ongoing treatment.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Tao Hong Si Wu Tang in mice with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND Lung cancer(LC)combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is a common combination of comorbidities.Anti-inflammation and modulation of oxidative/antioxidative imbalance may prevent COPD-induced LC,and are also crucial to the treatment of LC combined with COPD.Modern studies have shown that Tao Hong Si Wu Tang(THSW)has vasodilatory,anti-inflammatory,anti-fatigue,anti-shock,immunoregulatory,lipid-reducing,micronutrient-supplementing,and anti-allergy effects.AIM To observe the effects of THSW on COPD and LC in mice.METHODS A total of 100 specific pathogen-free C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into five groups:Blank control group(group A),model control group(group B),THSW group(group C),IL-6 group(group D),and THSW+IL-6 group(group E),with 20 mice in each group.A COPD mouse model was established using fumigation plus lipopolysaccharide intra-airway drip,and an LC model was replicated by in situ inoculation using the Lewis cell method.RESULTS The blank control group exhibited a clear alveolar structure.The model control and IL-6 groups had thickened alveolar walls,with smaller alveolar lumens,interstitial edema,and several inflammatory infiltrating cells.Histopathological changes in the lungs of the THSW and THSW+IL-6 groups were less than those of the model control group.The serum IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-αlevels and IL-6R,JAK,p-JAK,STAT1/3,p-STAT1/3,FOXO,p-FOXO,and IL-7R expression levels in lung tissues of mice in the rest of the groups were significantly higher than those of the blank control group(P<0.01).Compared with the model control group,the IL-6 group demonstrated significantly higher levels for the abovementioned proteins in the serum and lung tissues(P<0.01),and the THSW group had significantly higher serum IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-αlevels and IL-7R expression levels in lung tissues(P<0.01)but significantly decreased IL-6R,JAK,p-JAK,STAT1/3,p-STAT1/3,FOXO,p-FOXO,and IL-7R levels(P<0.01).CONCLUSION THSW reduces the serum IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-αlevels in the mouse model with anti-inflammatory effects.Its antiinflammatory mechanism lies in inhibiting the overactivation of the JAK/STAT1/3 signaling pathway.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis–associated lung disease: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Lung damage in systemic juvenile arthritis(sJIA)is one of the contemporary topics in pediatric rheumatology.Several previous studies showed the severe course and fatal outcomes in some patients.The information about interstitial lung disease(ILD)in the sJIA is scarce and limited to a total of 100 cases.AIM To describe the features of sJIA patients with ILD in detail.METHODS In the present retrospective cohort study,information about 5 patients less than 18-years-old with sJIA and ILD were included.The diagnosis of sJIA was made according to the current 2004 and new provisional International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria 2019.ILD was diagnosed with chest computed tomography with the exclusion of other possible reasons for concurrent lung involvement.Macrophage activation syndrome(MAS)was diagnosed with HLH-2004 and 2016 EULAR/ACR/PRINTO Classification Criteria and hScores were calculated during the lung involvement.RESULTS The onset age of sJIA ranged from 1 year to 10 years.The time interval before ILD ranged from 1 mo to 3 years.The disease course was characterized by the prevalence of the systemic features above articular involvement,intensive rash(100%),persistent and very active MAS(hScore range:194-220)with transaminitis(100%),and respiratory symptoms(100%).Only 3 patients(60%)developed a clubbing phenomenon.All patients(100%)had pleural effusion and 4 patients(80%)had pericardial effusion at the disease onset.Two patients(40%)developed pulmonary arterial hypertension.Infusion-related reactions to tocilizumab were observed in 3(60%)of the patients.One patient with trisomy 21 had a fatal disease course.Half of the remaining patients had sJIA remission and 2 patients had improvement.Lung disease improved in 3 patients(75%),but 1 of them had initial deterioration of lung involvement.One patient who has not achieved the sJIA remission had the progressed course of ILD.No cases of hyper-eosinophilia were noted.Four patients(80%)received canakinumab and one(20%)tocilizumab at the last follow-up visit.CONCLUSION ILD is a severe life-threatening complication of sJIA that may affect children of different ages with different time intervals since the disease onset.Extensive rash,serositis(especially pleuritis),full-blown MAS with transaminitis,lymphopenia,trisomy 21,eosinophilia,and biologic infusion reaction are the main predictors of ILD.The following studies are needed to find the predictors,pathogenesis,and treatment options,for preventing and treating the ILD in sJIA patients.

Nodular Pulmonary Amyloidosis with Interstitial Lung Disease—Case Report and Literature Review

Amyloidosis is a rare spectrum of disease which involves deposition of misfolded extracellular proteins (amyloids) in various body organs leading to progressive organ dysfunction. Clinical presentation can be variable depending on the organ involved and type of protein. Amyloidosis can be classified based on quantity, type, and location of these proteins. Amyloid light-chain amyloidosis develops in the bone marrow, producing abnormal forms of light-chain proteins, which cannot be broken down. These proteins transform into amyloid fibrils and form amyloid deposits in different organs. Pulmonary amyloidosis is uncommonly diagnosed since it is rarely symptomatic. Diagnosis of pulmonary amyloidosis is usually made in the setting of systemic amyloidosis;however, it may present as localised pulmonary disease. Localized pulmonary Amyloidosis can present as nodular, cystic, or tracheobronchial amyloidosis. Depending on the degree of the interstitial involvement, it may affect alveolar gas exchange and cause respiratory symptoms. This is a case of a 47-year-old female with background history of interstitial lung disease presenting with progressive shortness of breath. Computed tomography scan revealed bilateral pulmonary nodules. The patient was referred to our thoracic surgery team with the suspicion of bronchogenic malignancy with metastasis. Diagnostic video assisted wedge resection was performed for this patient, and histology confirmed pulmonary amyloidosis of nodular type. Amyloid deposition simulates both inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Definitive diagnosis requires biopsy confirmation therefore early detection and commencing the patient on appropriate treatment pathway may help in symptomatic relief and better outcome.

Effect of N-Acetylcysteine Combined with Lung Rehabilitation Therapy on Exercise Endurance and Quality of Life of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective:To explore the effect of N-acetylcysteine combined with lung rehabilitation therapy on exercise endurance and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease(RA-ILD).Methods:Fifty-six patients with RA-ILD admitted to Xijing Hospital from May 2022 to January 2024 were randomly divided into two groups:a non-rehabilitation group and a pulmonary rehabilitation group,with 28 patients in each group.Both groups received routine treatment.Additionally,the non-rehabilitation group received N-acetylcysteine treatment,while the lung rehabilitation group received lung rehabilitation treatment in addition to N-acetylcysteine.The improvement in exercise endurance and dyspnea between the two groups after treatment was compared and the quality of life of the patients was observed.Results:After treatment,the exercise endurance score in the lung rehabilitation group(335.67±45.29)was higher than that in the non-rehabilitation group(P<0.05).The dyspnea score in the lung rehabilitation group(0.72±0.16)was lower than that in the non-rehabilitation group(P<0.05).Additionally,FVC(3.18±0.58 L),FEV1(2.28±0.56 L),FEV1/FVC(69.69±5.56),and DLCO(60.53±5.92 mL/mmHg/min)were higher in the lung rehabilitation group compared to the non-rehabilitation group after treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion:Lung rehabilitation therapy combined with N-acetylcysteine treatment can effectively improve dyspnea symptoms,lung function,and exercise endurance in patients with RA-ILD.This approach helps to improve patient’s quality of life and is beneficial for their prognosis.

Correlation Analysis Between Changes of D-Dimer Level and Rheumatoid Arthritis Complicated with Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective:To explore the correlation between the change of D-dimer level and rheumatoid arthritis complicated with interstitial lung disease.Methods:From January 2022 to February 2024,20 rheumatoid arthritis patients complicated with interstitial lung disease(interstitial lung disease group),20 rheumatoid arthritis patients without interstitial lung disease(without interstitial lung disease group),and 20 healthy people(control group)in Xijing Hospital were selected for this study.The fasting venous blood of the three groups of subjects was collected and their D-dimer,C-reactive protein(CRP),rheumatoid factor(RF),and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)were detected.Subsequently,the correlation between each index and rheumatoid arthritis complicated with interstitial lung disease was analyzed.Results:The D-dimer level of the interstitial lung disease group was significantly higher than the other two groups(P<0.05).The D-dimer level of the group without interstitial lung disease was significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05).CRP levels in the interstitial lung disease group and the group without interstitial lung disease were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).The ESR and RF levels of the interstitial lung disease group were significantly higher than the other two groups(P<0.05).The levels of ESR and RF levels of the group without interstitial lung disease were significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:D-dimer levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients are higher than those of healthy individuals,and those complicated with interstitial lung disease present even higher levels.This finding shows that there is a correlation between D-dimer levels and rheumatoid arthritis with interstitial lung disease,which may facilitate the evaluation and diagnosis of this disease.

Molecular mechanisms and cellular process in signal transduction pathway related to air pollutants in obstructive lung diseases:A mini-review

Exposure to air pollutants such as PM_(10),PM_(2.5),PM_(0.1),O_(3),CO,NO2,and SO_(2),and biological pollutants are important factors causing the evolution and furtherance of obstructive lung diseases(OLD),including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Asthma is the most frequent chronic inflammatory airway disease,characterized by breathlessness,wheezing,chest tightness,and cough,together with the presence of exaggerated expiratory airflow fluctuation that varies over time.COPD is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea,cough,expectoration,and/or exacerbations due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli that cause persistent,often progressive,airflow obstruction.Understanding the molecular mechanisms and cellular processes based on the development of OLD on exposure to air pollutants will provide insights into the solution of pathogenesis,prevention,and treatment of these conditions.The molecular mechanisms and cellular process involved in signal transduction pathway plays a role in the binding of extracellular signaling molecules and ligands to receptors placed on the cell surface or on the inner side cell that trigger inflammation that occurs,especially when something important enters the cell to bring into a cascade response.This binding then alters the cell metabolism,shape,and gene expression in the airway.This review aimed to reveal the effect of air pollutants on the molecular mechanisms and cellular processes involved in the signal transduction pathways in OLD.

Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Anticancer Drug-Induced Interstitial Lung Disease

Drug-induced interstitial lung disease(DILD)is the most common pulmonary adverse event of anticancer drugs.In recent years,the incidence of anticancer DILD has gradually increased with the rapid development of novel anticancer agents.Due to the diverse clinical manifestations and the lack of specific diagnostic criteria,DILD is difficult to diagnose and may even become fatal if not treated properly.Herein,a multidisciplinary group of experts from oncology,respiratory,imaging,pharmacology,pathology,and radiology departments in China has reached the“expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of anticancer DILD”after several rounds of a comprehensive investigation.This consensus aims to improve the awareness of clinicians and provide recommendations for the early screening,diagnosis,and treatment of anticancer DILD.This consensus also emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration while managing DILD.

强力枇杷露对慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重期患者的临床疗效及肺功能和IL-6、CRP、PCT水平的影响

【目的】探讨强力枇杷露对慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重期(AECOPD)患者的临床疗效及肺功能和白细胞介素6(IL-6)、C反应蛋白(CRP)、降钙素原(PCT)水平的影响。【方法】将80例痰热阻肺型AECOPD患者随机分为观察组和对照组,每组各40例。对照组患者给予西医常规治疗,观察组患者在对照组的基础上给予强力枇杷露治疗,疗程为5 d。观察2组患者治疗前后中医证候(咳嗽、咳痰、气短和喘息)评分、肺功能指标[第1秒最大呼气容积(FEV1)及其与用力肺活量(FVC)的比值(FEV1/FVC)]、血气指标[动脉血氧分压(PaO_(2))、血氧饱和度(SaO_(2))和动脉二氧化碳分压(PaCO_(2))]及炎症因子IL-6、CRP、PCT水平的变化情况,并评价2组患者的临床疗效和安全性。【结果】(1)疗效方面,治疗5 d后,观察组的总有效率为95.00%(38/40),对照组为77.50%(31/40),组间比较(χ2检验),观察组的疗效明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。(2)中医证候评分方面,治疗后,2组患者的咳嗽、咳痰、气短、喘息等中医证候评分均较治疗前降低(P<0.05),且观察组的降低幅度均明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。(3)肺功能方面,治疗后,2组患者的FEV1/FVC、FEV1等肺功能指标均较治疗前改善(P<0.05),且观察组的改善幅度均明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。(4)血气指标方面,治疗后,2组患者的PaO_(2)、SaO_(2)水平均较治疗前升高(P<0.05),PaCO_(2)水平均较治疗前降低(P<0.05),且观察组对PaO_(2)、SaO_(2)水平的升高幅度及对PaCO_(2)水平的降低幅度均明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。(5)炎症因子方面,治疗后,2组患者血清IL-6、CRP、PCT水平均较治疗前降低(P<0.05),且观察组的降低幅度均明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。(6)安全性方面,观察组的不良反应发生率为10.00%(4/40),对照组为7.50%(3/40),组间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。【结论】强力枇杷露治疗痰热阻肺型AECOPD患者疗效显著,能有效改善患者临床症状,调节患者肺功能和血气指标,抑制炎症反应,且具有较高的安全性。

Heart and lung, a dangerous liaison-Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy and respiratory diseases: A systematic review

AIM: To investigate the possible association between Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy(TTC)-a reversible clini-cal condition mimicking an acute myocardial infarction characterized by multifactorial pathophysiologic mecha-nisms- and respiratory system diseases. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE medical information sources, to identify the different triggering causes, limiting our search to ar-ticles in English. The search keywords were: "tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy", "takotsubo", "takotsubo cardiomyopa-thy", "broken heart syndrome", "stress-induced cardio-myopathy", "apical ballooning syndrome", and "ampulla cardiomyopathy in combination with respiratory dis-eases, lung, pulmonary disease. For each kind of dis-ease, we registered: author, year and country of study, patient sex, age, concurring situation, and outcome. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1725 articles found, we se-lected 37 papers reporting a total of 38 patients. As ex-pected, most patients were women(81.6%), mean age was 65 ± 10 years. Outcome was favorable in 100% of cases, and all the patients have been discharged un-eventfully in a few days. CONCLUSION: An association between respiratory diseases and TTC is likely to exist. Patients with severe respiratory diseases, due to the high dosages of β2-agonists used or to the need of invasive procedures, are highly exposed to the risk of developing TTC.

Mechanism prediction of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge and Angelica sinensis Diels in treating interstitial lung disease based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which Astragalus mongholicus Bunge(AM),and Angelica sinensis Diels(AS)act in interstitial lung disease(ILD)based on computational prediction.Methods:We screened the ingredients of AM and AS in PubMed,the Web of Science,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)Databases,etc.Then obtained the potential effective components.By sharing the same molecular with ILD,we got the possible target genes for ILD treatment and constructed components–targets–disease network with Cytoscape software.The CTD(Comparative Toxicogenomics Database)database was used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of these target genes.Results:59 active ingredients that can be druggable were chosen from AM,67 active ingredients were chosen from AS.77 overlapping target genes for AM and ILD and 36 overlapping target genes for AS and ILD were acquired.The hub targets of AM were PTGS2,PTGS1,CDK2,MAOA,ESR1,TOP2A,GSK3B,ESR2,PPARG,NOS2,The hub targets of AS were PTGS2,GABRA1,PTGS1,CHRM1,SLC6A2,ADRA1B,ADRAIA,ADRB2,CHRM3,GABRA2,CHRM2.Quercetin,kaempferol,daidzein,pavilion,7-Hydroxycoumarin,and 5-Hydroxycoumarin were the main active ingredients which have more effective targets.Prediction of the protein-protein interaction network showed PTGS2,GSK3B,PPARG,etc.,were the important predicted targets.The enriched KEGG pathways,including the Immune System,Metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins,Cytokine Signaling in the Immune system,Generic Transcription Pathway,The interleukin pathway,Metabolism of proteins,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,Metabolic pathways,Innate Immune System,Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,Metabolism,GPCR downstream signaling,Amine ligand-binding receptors,Class A/1,Calcium signaling pathway.Molecular docking showed that quercetin,kaempferol,daidzein,pavilion,7-Hydroxycoumarin,5-Hydroxycoumarin had good binding activities with PTGS2 and GSK3B,which mainly mediated PI3K/Akt and other important signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of ILD.Conclusion:The components in AS and AM share some common targets,such as PTGS2.AM and AS may ameliorate ILD through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway which is mediated by GSK3B.PTGS2,PPARG may also be vital target genes in the treatment of ILD with AM and AS.

Association between the Lung Immune Prognostic Index and mortality in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy-associated interstitial lung disease

Objective:To explore the association between the Lung Immune Prognostic Index(LIPI)and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy related interstitial lung disease(IIM-ILD).Methods:Patients who were diagnosed with IIM-ILD at West China Hospital,Sichuan University from January 2008 to December 2021 were retrospectively included and categorized into three groups based on LIPI.Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to explore potential association between the LIPI and patients'mortality.Results:A total of 1116 patients were screened,and 830 were included in this study.The multivariable Cox analysis showed that,compared with patients with poor LIPI,the hazard ratio(HR)for all-cause 1-year mortality was 0.22(95%CI 0.05-0.93,P=0.04)for patients in the good LIPI group(LDH<250 IU/L and dNLR<3).After excluding patients lost to follow-up within one year,a similar result was found for LIPI(HR 0.20,95%CI 0.05-0.86;P=0.03).Conclusions:Good LIPI was independently associated with decreased risk of all-cause 1-year mortality in patients with IIM-ILD.This easy-to-obtain index might be served as a potential marker for assessing the prognosis of IIM-ILD.

Recent advances in lung-on-a-chip technology for modeling respiratory disease

Tissue engineering approaches,including those to functional lung tissues,are finely honed by the inclusion of upgraded devices that mimic biophysical and biochemical features in vivo.Perfusion culture is one of these essential biophysical characteristics enabled by the introduction of microfluidic devices in recent years.This review links the importance of dynamic culture for in vitro maintenance of functional lung cells to the modeling of respiratory disease.We identify and discuss different parameters for fabricating the requisite microfluidic models for lung cells,as well as their application in modeling lung diseases caused by external factors such as smoking and pollution.The possibility of creating a multi-organ-on-a-chip to establish a more physiologically relevant model is highlighted.Overall,the focus is on different prospects for the in vitro modeling approach and for lungs-on-a-chip for developing advanced,reliable technology to analyze the pathophysiology of respiratory diseases and screen potential treatments.

Automated Classification of Lung Diseases in Computed Tomography Images Using a Wavelet Based Convolutional Neural Network

Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been utilized in medical imaging research field and have successfully shown their ability in image classification and detection. In this paper we used a CNN combined with a wavelet transform approach for classifying a dataset of 448 lung CT images into 4 categories, e.g. lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, metastatic lung cancer, and normal. The key difference between the commonly-used CNNs and the presented method is that in this method, we adopt the use of redundant wavelet coefficients at level 1 as inputs to the CNN, instead of using original images. One of the main advantages of the proposed method is that it is not necessary to extract regions of interest from original images. The wavelet coefficients of the entire image are used as inputs to the CNN. We compare the classification performance of the proposed method to that of an existing CNN classifier and a CNN-based support vector machine classifier. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the other two methods and achieve the highest overall accuracy of 91.9%. It demonstrates the potential for use in classification of lung diseases in CT images.